Lansinoh Affinity Double Electric Breast Pump

I got this pump when my daughter was just a week old. I read reviews, the price was right and Walmart had them in stock so I chose this pump. After 4.5 months use I'm happy to report no problems with this pump. I'm now back at work and pump in the day and have no issues.

At the same time I have never used another pump so I can't compare.

A WARNING THOUGH - When I went back to work for convenience I used the battery mode on it instead of plugging it in. After 2 weeks I moticed a decrease in supply. I then realized that the suction wasn't as strong in battery mode ... Makes sense. Stopped doing that and now my supply is back. So unless you have no choice DON'T USE THIS IN BATTERY MODE!

*** UPDATES ***
I have been using this for 9 months now without any problems when last week it died on me. I decided to just go ahead and buy another one since all my bottles etc were Lansinoh brand. I bought it again and decided to use the power cord on the "dead" unit when it worked! So I realized that only the power cord was "dead". I ordered another one through the Lansinoh site for $20 and they promptly shipped it to me. Now I have two :)

Another note, the new one I bought it different from the one I had 9 months ago. It didn't seem to work as well and I thought it was broken. I called their customer service line and they told me that the new one works in the opposite way, the lower the setting the faster it goes. Hmmm seems counter intuitive since the base shows (+) and (-) signs but I guess on the new units the (-) or lower setting is the higher setting. So I tried it based on their recommendation and must say it has more strength than the older unit. I was very happy with it and extracted a lot of milk. It isn't as loud so they worked on that but it sounds like it's dying :) even though it's not.

Now I own 2 of these, old model and new model and love them both. Great buy!

Before my daughter was born, I was given a simple breast pump that worked great until the milk clogged the tubes and wrecked the motor. In looking for a replacement pump, it seemed they all had similar designs that were destined for the same tragic end.

Enter Lansinoh's new Affinity Breast Pump. The new design on this pump is guaranteed to prevent milk backup in the tubing and motor. It was a perfect design for me and I am thrilled to know that this pump will be more durable and long-lasting than many other leading brands.

As you can see by the above picture, the pumping action is done above the milk flow and has a soft rubber diaphragm barrier to prevent milk getting into the tubes.

The valve on the bottom is also a nice design as it creates a secure seal during the pumping action but lets down quite a large volume of milk before the next draw from the pump. This is especially important for moms who may express quite a lot of milk in a short amount of time. It's always frustrating when the valve can't keep up with the volume of milk that is being expressed. With the Affinity pump, there is no worry of milk back-up. Two extra valves are included with the pump.

In addition to this new design, it also incorporates several great features including an LCD display screen that shows elapsed time and cycle settings. I loved having a timer and knowing exactly how long I'd been pumping. The bright screen was well laid out and easy to read.

Another great feature I loved was the "letdown" phase. After turning the pump on, it starts with a faster yet gentler cycle designed to stimulate natural letdown. This was great! With other pumps, they start right off with a vigorous, high-suction cycle that can damage sensitive tissue. But the Affinity begins every pumping session with this gentle cycle that almost felt like a gentle vibration. This letdown cycle will run for two minutes, but you can skip right to a stronger cycle when you are ready. You can also switch back to the letdown phase at any time.

The second phase of the Affinity pump is the Expression phase. I liked having the ability to control both the speed and suction strength of the pump during this phase. There are 6 different settings for speed and 8 different settings for suction. This offers quiet a variety of possible settings! The Affinity Pump cycles 30-60 times per minute and ranges from 50-250 mm HG in 1 second. Every mom and baby are different and require different settings. This pump allows more comfort and efficiency for a wider group of ladies.

The actual breast flanges are also quite comfortable with a soft rubber rim to prevent skin irritation.

This pump is quite easy to clean as well. The tubing never needs to be cleaned as it does not come in contact with the milk. All the other parts are dishwasher safe. This was a big plus for me!

While it was nice to have the option to double pump, I found it difficult to manage both sides at the same time. Fortunately, it is easy enough to switch to single pumping. I do wish the Affinity came with a handle of some sort that made double pumping easier.

Included in the box is one Lansinoh Affinity double electric pump, two bottles, two bottle lids, two extra white valves, AC adapter, velcro strap for tubing and instruction booklet. I wish the Affinity came with the carrying bag. You can order it separately, but I just prefer that the bag come with the pump. As with most pumps, the Affinity can be battery operated (6 AA not included) as well as plugged in with an AC adapter (included).

All in all, it's a great pump with some fantastic, innovative features that moms will love. This mom definitely recommends the Lansinoh Affinity!

My wife has been using this pump for a month. She had been using a medela manual breast pump but preferred a double electric one now that she's going back to work. She likes it a lot and gets a good amount of milk.

Pros:
- Comfortable
- Adjustable suction and speed settings
- Let-down button
- She can pump in other baby bottles (dr browns)
- No milk gets in the tubing

Cons:
- Loud. It doesn't wake up our baby but it's better if you put a cloth or pillow on it
- Many parts to clean. It's annoying when you are exclusively pumping.
- The bottle holders are no good and the milk can easily spill over if you are not careful